A poacher ruined my hunt

arch3614elk · Sep 15, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Sep-15-05 AT 07:07PM (MST)[p] I don't know what was more incredible! Watching the 6x6 bull I called in on a 2001 spike elk unit or the way he busted out once he knew I fooled him. But one of the worst things I saw in my hunting career was how this animal was gut shot and left to suffer by three hunters. I was on a spike bull unit that year because I wanted to see how big the bulls were getting in my deer and elk hunting unit. I watched these hunters mortaly wound this animal, then try to get the out of the area as quick as possible. My brother and I weren't about to let them get away. I pulled my truck out in front of them and took down their license plate numbers, then we called fish & game . The excuse the hunter(s) gave the officers was that they were older and had poor eye sight. We caught up with Fish & Game and saw the damage and what was wasted. We didn't know a third hunter saw the same thing my brother and I saw. A gut shot bull with a lower leg blown off. It's entrails were leaving a trail because it was still trying to get away. I have been putting in for this Unit for 6+ years and to see a group of people destroy the Majesty of this animal was heart wrenching. The reward was split three ways and I was glad that they had to pay restitution for the bull, but I honestly feel they should have lost their hunting Privaleges for at least 10 years not just 5. So do I think Poachers give us ethical hunters a lot of grief from all types of anti hunters because of their greed and being selfish? YES I DO! My dad and my brother taught me how to hunt and to respect the outdoors and other hunters, and not to respect someone who steals from you!!! That is why I will post ant type of Poaching in my state, and I know all of you would do the same thing too!

257Tony · Sep 15, 2005

Sounds like you were in Utah maybe? Did you get a tag out of it? I hope so, you did a great service to us all by standing up to those fools......

arch3614elk · Sep 15, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Sep-15-05 AT 07:12PM (MST)[p]Yes we were in Utah and the reward? No I didn't... My brother and I split the reward with another hunter. 3 ways

Deadred707 · Sep 15, 2005

How does a state give an old, blind person a hunting license in the first place?

Kyle

RACKMASTER · Sep 15, 2005

you did the right thing however I feel you are a bit over board on the stealing part you do not own that bull the people and god do! sounds personal way to much! did you donate the reward back into the fund? that would have made sense also!
so how did these guys ruin your hunt......? said you were in a spike unit...that you been putting in for 6 yrs or I am I mixed up? what state?
RM

SlipRock · Sep 15, 2005

Great job, You did the right thing its just too bad they did'nt get their hunting priveledges supended for a longer duration and maybe jail time,I bet they would surely see bubba with no problem if he came around them while doing some jail time.

RACKMASTER · Sep 15, 2005

slipknot
who bubba
rm

arch3614elk · Sep 15, 2005

They did steal from me! It was on PUBLIC land and it was my bull as much as every other elk hunter in Utah!! It was personal!!! They tried to say they just saw it happen and that we were lying about what we saw! I got 333.00 Dollars and I gave it to my kids. As for my hunt being ruined... You try to hunt when someone does that in front of you! It's not the same after you see something like that. This was a limited entry unit and a spike only general elk hunt area.

2_Point · Sep 15, 2005

Arch- THat is a great thing you did. Did you happen to know that Utah gives a permit for the unit in which a person turns in a poacher? Your good deed could have gotten you a LTD entry bull tag for that unit and you could have kept the points. It might be worht a call to the officer who you reported it to. I think it is a great program.

Any one who doesn't think a poacher is stealing form them is sorely mistaken. Those poachers stole the viewing experience from many who would viewed that bull. They also stole the chance for a real hunter to hunt and or harvest that bull. It was stolen.

RACKMASTER · Sep 15, 2005

thats a wacky way of looking at your hunting dude! who guts your game? what happens when you upon a gut pyle,hanging deer?(bet that never ruined your hunt!)
I seen many of bad things hunting and not one thing will spook me other than my dog getting shot!
$333.00 will buy alot of gamecube game!
(I feel it would helped rolling it back also your bros,thats $666.00)
I report at 1 time every yr on wildlife law volators,will can all do more!
RM

RACKMASTER · Sep 15, 2005

YA BUT COME ON HE ACTS LIKE HE BOTTLE FED IT!
jack

arch3614elk · Sep 15, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Sep-15-05 AT 10:03PM (MST)[p]Since there was three of us who reported it, they couldn't give out three limited entry permits. so we decided to split it up.

RACKMASTER.... CHILL OUT!! I just feel that the justice system should have bigger penalties for poachers. I voice my opinions strongley RACKMASTER sorry if that offends you. I have seen all kinds of how did you say it GUT PILES. That's not what made me sick. It was how the fish and game officers had to cut open the bull. The Intestines and stomach to search for evidence. and to see all that meet wasted. Think about that!!!

SlipRock · Sep 15, 2005

come on rack, lets just say bubba is the reason you would use soap on a rope if you were in jail, well with these clowns they would maybe get what they deserved and maybe the rope would break if they had to do jail time.nothing personal I just hate poachers and think the laws for poaching are to lean, maybe some jail time with bubba around would teach them a lesson.I really wonder if they thought by saying they could'nt see very well would get them off the hook.

Zigga · Sep 15, 2005

You are not the only one who doesn't understand Rackmaster. He is way out there. I would have done the same thing and yes, it would have ruined my hunt as well.

kingfish · Sep 15, 2005

Congrats for doing the right thing. Oh yeah, by the way, thank you. I have said it many times on this site. If we hunters don't police our own someone will do it for us!!!. Remember Judge Bolt???. He was a Federal Judge that screwed up fishing forever here in Washington.

studpile · Sep 16, 2005

Nice job!

AndymanSavage · Sep 16, 2005

Thanks man, they steal from all of us and our children.
Andy

idabigbuck · Sep 16, 2005

Rack
Have you lost all sensitivity to the suffering of a wounded animal. I realize that death is a part of the game we play, but total indifference doesn't sit well with me at all. Turn off the DVD and realize that real blood is being spilt out there.

albubba · Sep 16, 2005

I have reported three poaching offenses over the past 5 years all in Utah.
The first one was a young kid that shot a 4 point bull in a spike bull area. I could live with the fact that he made a mistake, but he and dad cleaned it and cut off the head and took off. We happened to drive buy their camp and took down their licence plate #. We notified the F&G and they went to investigate. I don't know what happened to them.
Two years ago while elk hunting in a spike only area some a-holes shot a 5 point bull right in the middle of a paved road. We we were hiking back to the truck at dark and heard the shot. As we were driving home, we came across the bull lying in the middle of the road. We dragged it to the side and called the F&G. They were able to salvage the meat. Never heard if anyone was caught.
Last year while elk hunting, two guys from out of state shot and killed two cows. Only one of them had a cow tag, the other had a bull tag. They were going to leave 1 cow to spoil but we called the F&G and the caught the guys trying to get down the canyon. They claimed that they didn't know about the second cow, and someone else hit it, but we saw them both shoot. These guys got busted, but I don't know what kind of fine they had to pay.

RACKMASTER · Sep 16, 2005

stroke me! stroke me!
everybody own these wonderful animal and its all of our job to report violators even if it means going to court the next state over to testife on what was seen as an witnesss!
My bosses son is in Iraq!! want to talk real blood?
rackmaster
I hope to spill some blood in 15 days!

lucky13 · Sep 16, 2005

arch- good job you absolutely did the right thing.

rack- you accuse arch of taking a wasted elk personal and your the one going low rent and I quote "stroke me stroke me". Those jackasses were stealing from all of us period.

baldbull · Sep 17, 2005

First good job on busting them, all poachers need to be regulated. Now as for ruining your hunt, if you didn't get your spike that's not his fault, try to look at the positive, if you were out in the outdoors having fun with family a hunt is never ruined.